Heater or cooker for cotton and other oil-seed or material.



0. SHEPPRD, JR. HEATER OFI COOKEH FOR COTTGN AND OYHEB (HL SEED GRMATEUM.. APPLICATION FILED III/m. I6. IsrIs.

1919659?. Patentedmg. 2a 191s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

9 J v :ca- .1.

0. sHEP-PARD, JA. n HEATER 0B cooKER FOR' cQ'IIToN AND @man `o|L SEED 0RMATERIAL.

` APPLICATfoN mil; MARA'S. 191'3.

151963,59?. Pawn-ed Aug. 29,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ORLANDO SHEPPARD, JR., 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MURRAY COM-PANY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, AND ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

HEATER OR COOKER FOR COTTON. AND OTHER OIIJ'SEED OR MATERIAL.

useful Improvements in .Heaters or Cookers for Cotton and other Oil Seedor Material, of which the iiollowing 1s a specification.

rlfhis invention relates to heaters or cookers, and more particularly tothat class ot' such devices which are used for heating cotton and otherseed and similar material preparatory to expressing the oil from theseed or material.

The primary object of the invention is to provide con'iparatively simpleand effective means ior automatically controlling the heating orcookinfrot the material within the several receptacles comprised in theheater organization.

A further object ot the invention is to provide a heater ot' the classspecified coinprising a series of cou'ipartments or receptacles withmeans cooperating.;` with each of the compartments or receptacles forautomatically controlling the feeding of the 1naterial from onereceptacle to another and thus enabling the feeding opei'ations and theremoval ot' the material to be properly tin?. fl.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement ot' partswhich vwill be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a section' taken transversely through oneform of heater and showing the features of the invention appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view o'l`-tlie automaticallyop-y erating controlling` means for the compartments or receptacles andparticularly embodying the features of the invention. v Fig. 3 is a.transverse vertical section on the line SW3, Fig. 2.

In the drawings the invention is illustrated as applied to a heaterwhichl in its reneral features ot construction is oit'. a

e common type. This heater comprises three con'ipartments orAreceptacles 5, .6 and 7 which are arranged in super-posed relation, andit will.: be understood that the number of compartments or receptaclesmay be increased or decreased as desired. The lower receptacle 7 ismounted upon a suitable support, such as standards and all of thereceptacles are` connectel in any suitable manA Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 15, 1913. Serial No. 754,65S.

Patented ug. 29, 1916.

The bottoms 9 of the receptacles are tightly 60 associated with the sidewalls 10 byma chined `joints 10a consisting vof male andA femalestructures respectively formed in the said parts as shown. Thereceptacles are held separated or in spaced relation by rings tfL havingflanges 8" .engaged by the cap screws n. yThe receptacles are alsoheated, by suitable means, live steam being pref` erably usedfor thispurpose, and the bottom and side walls 9 and 10A of each compart-4 70ment `or receptacle are formed hollow and suitably. Lcpnnected to asour-cple of steam snplply and `have eihaust pipes,V not shown, `as inother devices ot this type, and by means of which a circulation of steamis main-- tained within the walls of the various com partnients orreceptacles. It Will be understood tha*u the heat of the severalcompartments or receptacles may be readily regulated by the usual valvesinstalled in the` pipes. The heating feature of the several compartmentsor receptacles does not form a part ot the present invention andtherefore need not be further described in detail.

Arranged within each compartment or receptacle close to the bottom wall9 thereof is a suitable stirrei' 11` preferably comprising one or morearms each supported yat the center of the compartment and having larotary movement imparted thereto... A vertical shaft 12 extends throughthe center of each compartment or receptacle and has the stirrerssecured thereon, the said shaft being rotated by a bevel gear 13 on theupper end thereof above the uppermost compartment orfreceptacle, thisgear being rotated by a, bevel pinion 14 on a shaft 15 held in suitablebearing uprights 16 and carrying a belt pulleyor wheel 17 on its one endand to' which power may be applied from a suitable J3 source. The`stirrersL 11 operate to distribute the' seed or other material evenlyover the bottoms of the respective compartments and stir the seed ormaterial to cause the wholev mass to be evenly heated. Preferably theseed or material is first fled into the upper compartment or receptacle,then to the intermediate compartment or` receptacle, and

finally into the lower.compartment,or recep-`v tacle. The seed ormaterial is heated ineach 119 compartment or receptacle and is Withdrawnfrom the lower compartment or receptacle. A feeding device or` apparatus1s supported above the .uppermost compartment .opening 23 in the topplate 24 oi the uppermost compartment or receptacle. The opening 21 inthe bottom of the box 20 is preferably of such dimensions as to permitthe charge of seed or other material to pass from the said box into thechute 22 Without retardation but the feed will be under con trol bymeans which will be presently ei:-

plained. The bottom -9 of the uppermost' compartment or receptacle hasan opening E25 extending therethrough adjacent to the side wall thereofandlocated over the next compartment below, the second comlpart ment inlike .manner having a similar open.- ing Q5 in the bottom wall thereof.All of the` intermediate compartments or recepftacles will `he. providedwith outlets in the bottoms thereof and Athe Alowermost intermediatecompartment or receptacle will be arranged to discharge its contentsinto the top portion of the bottom compartment or receptacle of thegroup, the lowermost or bottom compartment being provided with adischarge opening controlled in a well known mannen` and need not behere shown. or described as the same Will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art.

Means are provided for automatically controlling the discharge of thematerial from the box or compartment 2O to the uppermost compartment andfrom one compartment to another. The mechanism preferred and which hasbeen particularly devised for this purpose comprises a plurality ofrotary gates 26 which, as shown by Fig. 2, are in the form of disks eachhaving an opening 27 therein adapted to register at intervals with therespective feed openings 21 a'nd 25. The rotary gates or vdisks aremounted on and secured to a Vertical shaft 28 disposed at one side ofthe heater and the uppermost gate or disk is disposed at vone side ofthe feed hopper 18 and extends between the bottom of the box 20 and theupper end of the chute 22 to control the opening 21. It will beunderstoodihat the openings 27 in the several rotary gates or disks arein diii'erent positions relatively to each other so as to accomplish theproper timed berging of the uppermost compara nient or i; izptacle' Iiand the feedingof the intermediate and bottom compartments or.-cszffihgtafcles 6 and 7. The ujiipermost rotaryl incase? gate or disk26 will have its opening 27 coincide at intervals with the opening 2linthe bottom of the box 20 and thereby permita charge to fall into thechute 22 and through the opening 23 into the upper compartment. orreceptacle The size of the opening .37 ot the uppermost gate or disk andthe speed at which the gate or disk rotates are so regulated that afixed amount of material, preli-A their size by means of sliding gates2l) arranged on opposite sides of the openings and having segmentalslots therein engaged by clamping or set bolts, the slots being shown asat 30 and of proportions as to length wmmeneurate with the distancesthereof from, the axes of the disks. The clamping bolts 31, as shown byFig. 3, engage the webs of the disks, and the gates *2.9 have theirinner and outeredges respectively seated in grooves 32 and bearingagainst overhanging flanges 33 at the peripheries of the disks. means ofcenter Hangend hubs 34 and annuli 35 interposed betvs'een the `hubs andthe webs 3 6 of the disks, there being one hub and a single annulus ineach disk organization. It will be understoodthat all of the rotarydisks are ofsimilar construction, the only variation being thedifferentiation of position of the openings E37 in the several disks soas to properly time the retention of the charges of material in thecompartments or` receptacles for heating purposes and to reg ulate thefeed from the hopper to the upper most compartment at regular intervalswhen the said uppermost-compartment shall rThe grooves 3:2 are formed byhave been relieved of its successive charges.

The rotary disks cooperating with tl e bottom openings 25 of thecompartme ex# tend inwardly into the top portions oil"`the compartmentswhich they engage through openings 37 provided for this purpose, therotary disks closely engaging the lower portions of said openings 25 soas to insure against leakage of material in the several compartments`and permit a discharge of the material from one compartment to anotheronly when the openings 27 Aof the disks coincide Aor register with theopenings 25.

The shaft 28 is mounted insutable bearings 38and 39, the bearing 39being `ci@ the` foot or step type and held by a, suitable supporting bed4,lo extending outwardly in] line with the bottom ol the lower;comparis`ment or receptacle and. having a prop or ien;

leo

' 'this operation be desired. This is -accomi shown. i lowerportion ofan auxiliary frame 48, and

in the upper part ofsaid frame a power transmitting shaft 49 is disposedin suitable band' pulley to receive power from any Variable speedmechanism 20.

" lished through the medium of` a friction or A]av'v clutch 45associated in part with a shaft 44 and in partwith a countershaft 4G,the

'lclutch'being controlled through the medium of a hand-lever attachment47, as clearly The shaft 46 is mounted in the bearings and provided witha belt wheel or suitable source. is provided in connection with theshafts 46 and 49 and in the presenetv instance consists of stepped.pulleys 51' and 52 on the respective shafts 46 ande49, the said pulleysbeing engage-d by a belt 53 which may be shifted as desired to modifythe speed of the shafts 44 and 2,8 and` thus'regulate the speed ofrotation of the rotary gatesor disks 26 when the clutch. is operated toconnect the two shafts 44 and 46.

i The operation of the improved heater will be readily understood fromthe foregoing description, and vit will lie apparent that -fixedquantitiesvof material are fed into the upper compartment4 or receptacleat regular intervals and in sequence similaiquan tities of material arefed from the coml'-partment 5 intov the compartment 6 and from thelatter Vinto the compartment 7. The material as fed into the severalcompartments isv evenly vdistributed over the bottomewalls 9 by thestirrers 11 and is heated to the degree desired or inaccordance with theadjustment. of the gatas or slides 29 relatively tothe openings 27 ofthe rotary disks and the speed of rotation imparted to the 'said disks.Whenl the several charges of material shall have reached the loWercompartment or receptacle theywill be removed at fixed intervals and inany desired uantities. By means of the organization o deviceshereinbefore described, all ofthe material fed into the uppercompartment and passing onto the succeeding compartments must remain afixed time in each several compartments as the heat can be moregradually applied to the seed or meats and evenly distributed withrespect to all portions ofthe'seed or meats. Frequently Where largequantities of the product to be treated are cooked it is found thatportions of these large quantities of material when removed from theheater are not suiiiciently cooked. Furthermore, by meansI of theimproved heater, neglect or inattention on the part of carelessemployees does not result in injury to the material treated or heated,as the heater will automatically work or discharge the quantities of thematerial regularly from one compartment into another and the feed willbe maintained at intervals iii the uppermost or first compartment,

.and it is therefore practically impossible to overcook the material inthe several compartments. A still further advantage in the presentimproved heater is the automatic charging Yof the upper compartment bythe mechanism heretofore explained and independent of any manualoperation or depend ence.A

It will be understood also vthat the cooker will be equipped with suchdevices as are usually employed in connection with the severalcompartments for observing the interior operation of the latter andreadily understood in the art. v

The invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shownand it is proposed to j increase the number of rotary disks andcompartments as may be desired and also to utilize such other reasonableequivalent' operating mechanisms as may be contemplated by the scope ofthe invention. What is claimed is:

l. In a heater of the class, specified, the

combination of a heating compartment,` a.

charging hopper and compartment having communication with thesaidheating compartment, a single shaft extending upwardly exteriorly of thehopper and compartments, and rotary gates mounted on said single shaftand cooperating with the hopper and compartment and the heatingcompartment to automatically regulate feed of charges to the lattercompartment at intervals.

2. In a heater of the class specified, the combination of a heatingcompartment having an inlet and outlet iii diderent portions thereof,charging means connected tothe inlet of the compartment, a single shaftextending upwardly exteriorly of the heating compartment and chargingmeans, and rotary gates mounted on said single shaft and ccperating withthe charging means and the outlet of the compartment to automaticallyregulate the feed and discharge of predetermined quantities of materialto be treated to and from the said compartment. In a heater of the classspecified, the combination of a plurality of -superposed heatingcompartments having bottom outlets in communication with lthe compart-`ments, a'siiigle shaft extending upwardly i le lil

exteriorly oi" the compartments, and Arotary gates all mounted on saidshaft with the Zgreater portion ihereot exterior of the coinpartnlentsand having openings therein in different positions and operating withthe `outlets ot the ronnnirtments to automati cally regulate thedischarge ot the material treated in one oolmiartment at intervals:relatively to another compartment.

L ln a heater ot' the class specified, the combination oi a plurality ofsuperposed heating conmartments having,r outlets tor the discharge ot'material in one compartment into :mother successively throughout theplurality oi' compartments, and rotary trates vertically alincd andhaving' the `r1-cater portions` thereof exterior ot' the compartmentsand the remaining portions co; operationr with the outlets. ot' thecoi'xipartmonts and havingoii'set openings to automatically lwlisrhargrethe contents of the compartmenis relatively to each other at di tl'ercnttimes.

ln aflieater of the class specified, the. comhination o'iia plurality ofsuperposed compartments havinp4 outlets for dischargini;r material inthe several compartments at timed interrals into adjacent compartnments, a charging' means for delivering:y predetermined quantities otmaterial to he treated into the uppermost ot the compartments, andvertically alined rotary gates havingl portions exterior ot the compartments and charging.;r means and remaining pmtions thereof extending'into the eompartments and charging: means and coperating,r with theoutlets ot' the compartments and the charging: means and havingr oil'sctopenings to automatically regulate the charging oi' the one tannpartmentand the discharge ot the compartments relatively to each other at timedintervals.

o; In a heater ot' the class specified, the

combination of super-posed heating compart! n'ients haring dischargeopenings disposed to communicate with the successive compartments, androtary gates having ollfset openings therein 'cooperating with theoutlets of the compartments, the gates heine; vertically alined and inthe main extcriorly locatedgrelatively to the compartments, the openings`of the gates heini: provided with means for varying the size of thesaid openings.

T. In a heater of the class specified, the loomhination of aV pluralityof superposed ,heating cinmpartments having outlet open c ings arrangedto `nleliver the contents oi' the several cinnpartnients into succeedingconipartmento, a shaft arranged adjacent to the heater and enteriorly otthe con'ipartlnents, and a plurality ot rotary rates fixed on the shaftand partially entering the side portions ot ie` compartn'ients andhavingn oii'set openinirt to register with the outlet operey Liemeerings of the compartments to automatically regulate the discharge of thecompartments `at tuned intervals.

In a heater oi. the class specified, 'ciw combination oi' a plurality otheating compartments having" hottom outlet openings disiiosed oversuccessive compartments, a charging means for one of the con'ipartments,a single shait arranged adjacent to the heater exteriorly ot thecompartments, and a plurality ot rotary gates secured on the shaft andin the main disposed exteriorly of the heating compartments and`charging means and having oii'set openings therein operating at timedintervals :in con-` junction with the outlet openings ot' theconumrtments and the charging means.

.l. ln a heater of the class specified, the combination ot a pluralityot superposed heating com[nirtmtnts7 the upper compartment having.r a`top .inlet opening and also provided with a hottom outlet opening arranged to discharge into the intermediate compartment, thc hottomcompartment heinnv devoid of the bottom outlet hat having the bottomoutlet ot the intermediate'co1npartaient next ahove disposed thereover,charging means connected to the inlet openin nr of the uppercompartment, and a plurality of rotary gates in the main locatedexteriorly ot' the supcrposed heating: comp-art ments and charging meansand arranged in ed upon the shaft and in the mainlocated` cxtcriorly ot'the conuiartments with portions extending into the sides of the compartments and provided with offset openin coiwratinn with the outlets othe compartmcnta and moans tor 'modifying the movement of the shaft andthe rotary gates.

11. l'n a heater ot the class specified, the

combination ot' a plurality ot heating compartments having bottomoutlets disposed overthc successive compartments, the one compartmenthaving an inlet opening, charging means conmlunicatinglr with the inletopening oi the one conmartment, a shaft adjacent to and wholly exteriorof the heater7 a plurality oi rotary gates mounted on the said shaft andin the main also exterior oiE the compartments with portions exitendine' into the sides of the compartment-s ha ving:j oll'sct openingscooperating with the lis the speed of rotation of the shaft and rotarygates.

12.111 a heater of the class specified, the

. combination with aiplurality of superposed heating compartments havingdischarge openings', of a shaft mounted adjacent to andexteriorly of theheater and having a plurality of rotary gates all mounted thereon .invertical ali'nement and having por Ations rotatably engaging the sideportions ofthe compartments, the gates being provided withoffsetopenings and adjustable slides. to regulate the size of saidopenings, una .mechanism for modifying the speed of rotaiion ot theshaft andgates.

la. in a heater of the character described, a plurality of communicatingcompartments, umane for heating said mechanism for causing material tobe heat- ,efzl lo be i'foil to one 'of said compartments incompartments,

ixed quantities at predeterminedintervals, and mechanical means forcausing quantities of said material to be fed from the firstmentionedoompartment to another of said compartments at predetermined intervals.

14. In an oil seed cookeiya plurality of superimposed kettles, gates inthe lower portions of the said lrettles, and automatic means connectedwith said gatesV adapted` periodically to open the gate in one of thesaid kettles at predetermined intervals of time, to close the said gatesand thereafter to open and close the gate in the kettle next above.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit.-

Witnesses:

YV. H. CAMP, H. R. Eionnnne.

